Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 191: Annihilating the US 25th Division as a Whole! (6K Long Chapter)

Gao Yang, UN Command
"Fuck!!"

"Is it because I can't understand English?!"

"Translate for me what it means to have annihilated nearly ten thousand enemies and become a formidable force south of the Han River?"

"Then can't the Chinese National Revolutionary Army also be said to have annihilated nearly 100 million enemy soldiers and held a formidable position on the islands?!"

Ridgway angrily tore the telegram in his hand to shreds and cursed loudly.

It's one thing to be fake, but to be this fake is utterly insulting.

"Cough cough cough..."

Upon hearing this, Chu Yunfei coughed a few times to remind Li Qiwei that he, a general in the National Revolutionary Army, was still there.

“Mr. Chu, I didn’t mean to belittle you, I was just giving an example.”

"After all, you can make battle reports look as good as you want, but the front lines don't lie."

"According to him, after the UN forces were defeated, could I still say that we annihilated countless enemies and victoriously marched into Busan?"

“If I dared to report it like that, the president and those congressmen would tear me apart.”

Li Qiwei chuckled and patted Chu Yunfei on the shoulder.

“Sir, if the 25th Division continues to stagnate like this, we may really be defeated.”

The U.S. Chief of Staff sighed and said.

Why has the 25th Division made no progress after fighting for so long?

"A main division, with two artillery regiments, and superior air force and armored battalions that completely overwhelm the enemy."

"I don't understand how he lost."

Li Qi said with a slight frown.

"Sir, based on the current intelligence analysis, on the one hand, the enemy has captured a large amount of weapons and ammunition from Seoul, and is armed to the teeth."

"On the other hand, that Chinese man named Wu Wanli was too good at military tactics."

"Forgive my bluntness, but William's performance in the Battle of Seoul was not as good as his."

The U.S. Chief of Staff thought for a moment and then said.

"how is this possible?"

"Major General Wilhelm fought his way through the North African and European theaters, annihilating countless German troops..."

"Could these Chinese troops be stronger than the German army? Could that Chinese man named Wu Wanli be compared to Rommel and Guderian?"

Li Qiwei snorted coldly, dismissing the matter with disdain.

"Sir, our advantage in defeating the German army lies in our strong logistics and industrial capabilities, not in our generals and commanders."

"The fighting spirit of these volunteers was no less than that of the Germans, and we were too arrogant."

"This Chinese man named Wu Wanli has extremely sharp and accurate judgment on the battlefield."

"The annihilation of the airborne regiment, the disastrous defeat at Anshan, and the failure of the Han River offensive were all his doing."

"Take the airborne regiment for example. How did those Chinese soldiers, who were fighting at the level of World War I against the Japanese and Nationalist armies, make that judgment?"

"The burning of Anshan was not something that Chinese officers, who were used to being poor and lacked supplies, would be willing to do."

"If other Chinese officers had been in charge of the defense, it's debatable whether they could have held it, but there would never have been so many great victories!"

The U.S. Chief of Staff calmly analyzed the situation while looking at the war map.

"That's true. Other officers certainly wouldn't dare to deplete half of Seoul's fuel supply in a single battle, especially when the temperature is still so low."

"Take Li Yunlong, the commander of the 27th Army on the other side, for example. He is extremely stingy. He still hasn't paid me back the equipment he owed me for a whole battalion."

Chu Yunfei recalled this incident and said with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"It's pointless to talk about this now; the Chinese army can't change commanders on the eve of battle."

"Seoul is the key to victory or defeat in this battle, and it is also the politically significant capital of South Korea. Is there really no way for us to take it back?"

Li Qi frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation creeping into his heart.

If Seoul really can't be taken, and the Chinese army breaks through Goyang, how much of their main force can they withdraw from Incheon?

"Major General William said that if he were given another two hundred or so fighter jets, he would definitely be able to capture Seoul within 38 hours."

The U.S. Chief of Staff said with a wry smile.

"More than two hundred fighter jets?"

"The battles on both the eastern and western fronts are now at their most intense stage, and air support is simply not enough."

Li Qi frowned slightly as he spoke.

"Sir, I estimate that the 25th Air Division has suffered heavy losses and is unable to continue."

"In my opinion, we should either allocate three hundred fighter jets to him directly and go all out to help him take Seoul."

"Or let the 25th Division withdraw ahead of time to help cover the flank of the main force and retreat towards Incheon in an organized manner."

"The 25th Division was able to be defeated piecemeal by the Chinese army because it was divided between the two major battlefields of Anshan and Hanjiang."

"We need to learn from this lesson and concentrate our air power."

The U.S. military chief of staff said.

"But... wouldn't that mean there's not enough air support at the front lines?"

Li Qi frowned slightly and asked.

"It's alright. Our artillery and other support firepower overwhelm the Chinese army. They are still on the defensive, so the impact is minimal."

The U.S. military chief of staff said.

"Ok."

"Telegraph Major General William that I will provide him with another three hundred fighter planes and a certain amount of supplies."

"If he loses again, don't blame me for sending him to a military court!"

"In addition, a telegram was sent to General MacArthur in Japan requesting that fighter planes be dispatched to provide support."

"The fleet in Incheon is also prepared to withdraw if the situation turns unfavorable."

After thinking for a moment, Ridgway cautiously gave the order.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yunfei's heart sank slightly, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

The gap in overall national strength between China and the United States is still too large. No matter how hard our military role model Wu Wanli tries to turn the tide, he can't completely close this gap...

......................................................

志司
"What's with these 'Li Liangjian' and 'Kong Guoyin'?"

"When they seized the main attack position, they were so confident that they would tear apart the American defenses. How come they were blocked outside the city after taking the outer positions?"

"Do they know how much pressure Wan Li is under, alone in Seoul, facing tens of thousands of American troops?"

The boss slammed the battle report on the table and said with slight displeasure.

"Please calm down, boss. The main issue is still air superiority."

"When we were fighting on the outer perimeter, the positions were spread out more widely, and the battlefield was wider, so we could make full use of our troop strength advantage. The American bombers couldn't bomb all of that area."

"But now the main force of the US military has retreated into Gaoyang City, and so many of our troops are crammed outside the city. We can only attack in shifts and cannot deploy all our troops at all. Our numerical advantage has been severely weakened."

"On the contrary, once our offensive width was concentrated, the US air force bombing and artillery fire coverage became more intense, making the battle more difficult to win."

Chief Chen sighed and said.

"I understand what you're saying, but isn't there any way to solve this?"

The boss sighed, rubbed his temples, and said wearily.

"Boss, we are really powerless against firepower advantage, and a reckless attack will result in heavy casualties."

"Unless the US Air Force suddenly leaves, our pressure will be halved, and our offensive will be much smoother."

"But... how is that possible?"

Chief Chen shook his head with a worried expression and said.

"report!"

"The US Air Force in Gaoyang has suddenly withdrawn more than half of its forces, which greatly reduces the pressure on our offensive. This is a great opportunity!"

At that moment, the chief of staff rushed in excitedly and reported loudly.

"what?!"

"Did the American devils suddenly withdraw their air force?"

The boss suddenly turned around, stared at the chief of staff with wide eyes, and asked.

"what's going on?"

"The U.S. military would never withdraw its air force at this critical juncture without a reason!"

Chief Chen was also slightly taken aback, and then quickly asked.

"This is all thanks to Wu Wanli!"

"A great victory at the Han River!!!"

"Wu Wanli led his troops to repel the main force of the US 25th Division, shooting down more than 100 US Air Force aircraft and annihilating more than 2,000 US soldiers!"

"In this battle, we captured 2672 Garand rifles, 167 light machine guns, 21 heavy machine guns, 16 mortars, 11 bazookas, and countless other ammunition supplies!"

The chief of staff handed the battle report to Commander Chen and said with a hint of shock.

"That was close..."

"If Wu Wanli's reinforcements had arrived at the Han River battlefield a few minutes later, the artillery units would probably have been wiped out by the second air force squadron that the US military had detached."

"However, it was precisely this time difference that allowed our air force to divide and annihilate the American forces, thus securing the victory!"

"Comrade Wu Wanli turned the tide on the battlefield in Seoul, saving the day from collapse!"

"I was worried that he lacked combat experience and that he might not be able to command so many people in a good way."

"Now it seems he has the makings of a game-changer!"

After reading it, Chief Chen said with great appreciation.

"I'm ashamed. We're still stuck here and unable to rescue Wanli and the others. Instead, we have to rely on Wanli and the others to relieve the pressure on the front lines."

The chief of staff also took a deep breath and sighed.

"Now that the air force has been lured away by Wanli and his men, the frontline troops should be able to take Gaoyang, right?"

The boss asked, both pleased and worried.

I am happy that the new China has produced a general like Wu Wanli, but I am worried about how long the exhausted Seoul army can hold out.

"Boss, based on the current situation, the main force should be able to take down Gaoyang in about 30 hours!"

Chief Chen looked at the sand table, pondered for a moment, and then spoke.

"Good!" "But with so many fighter jets already at Wanli's location, shouldn't we offer Comrade Wu Wanli some support?"

The boss thought for a moment and said with some difficulty.

After all, the air force has already provided support, and it's difficult to replenish personnel. How to provide support is a real challenge.

"Boss, Comrade Wu Wanli really did make a request."

"He asked the headquarters for more power, wanting Han's uprising troops to leave earlier, since it would be too late to reform them afterward."

"In addition, we also hope to receive support regarding the utilization of personnel and resources in Seoul."

Upon hearing this, the chief of staff quickly replied.

"no problem!"

"As long as he does not violate discipline, he can reform Han Qiyi's troops and improve their combat effectiveness. He can also make promises, as long as he doesn't go too far."

"Within Seoul, we cannot force the people. If we follow the will of the people, he can fully implement his ideas."

"Also, tell him that he played very well, but he should be careful!"

The boss nodded and said earnestly.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, the chief of staff quickly agreed.

....................................

Han River defense line
"Commander-in-chief, the statistics are complete."

"After removing the wounded who were sent back to Seoul, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army still had 963 soldiers left, which remained in the form of two battalions."

"The Han uprising troops still had 5037 soldiers left, who were temporarily organized into the First and Second Regiments."

"The US forces on the other side are estimated to have more than 8000 men left, and their combat power is still intact. It is estimated that they will launch another round of attacks."

Liu Hanqing, holding the statistical report, said.

"How are the adjustments being made to the troops that revolted against Han?"

"Have the political commissar and military police been added to Han's uprising troops?"

Wu Wanli asked.

"When we airlifted troops to replenish our ranks before, the higher command specially sent some volunteer soldiers from the Korean ethnic group in Northeast China."

"Now we can meet the demand perfectly, so we have specially set up instructors at the platoon level in the South Korean army."

"The military police force was assigned to Jeon Doo-kwang for establishment, and it is now complete."

Liu Hanqing said.

Wu Wanli nodded, just in time to see that the Han Qiyi troops' badges on the Iron Heart Sky Eye Map in his mind had gained two new buffs.

[Political Commissar's Sub-ranking]: Organizational level increased by 10%

[Military Police Supervision]: Organization level increased by 8%

In addition, both the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and the South Korean Army belonged to the same Seoul unit, and the commander's information on the tag was Wu Wanli's portrait.

Next to the avatar, a new buff that provides a group bonus has also been added.

[Invincible]: The rate at which troop organization declines is reduced by 15%.

Note: Organization level represents troop morale; a significant drop will lead to fear of battle or even desertion and surrender.

"The data on this Sky Eye Map is becoming more and more complete. With these organizational enhancements, at least we don't have to worry about the South Korean army's uprising forces suddenly collapsing..."

Wu Wanli looked at the documents and murmured to himself.

"Commander-in-Chief, according to the latest telegram, the civilians in Seoul have been instructed to reinforce the barricades and fortifications in Seoul as you requested!"

"Many of them are family members of South Korean troops who defected, and they are all very enthusiastic."

At this moment, Yu Congrong walked in with a smile and said.

"We can't let them work for nothing. Have we given them any supplies as compensation?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli immediately asked.

"Yes, yes, especially for military dependents, we have always ensured their basic needs are met."

Yu Congrong said.

"Commander-in-chief, why do we need to reinforce the fortifications in Seoul? We clearly had a chance to defend Seoul."

Gao Daxing scratched his head, somewhat puzzled.

"After the previous battles, the Han River fortifications have been destroyed and cannot be rebuilt in a short time."

"Moreover, we cannot just think about holding out to the death. Where possible, we must minimize the casualties of our comrades and expand our gains."

Wu Wanli looked at the medical workers who were still busy not far away and sighed.

"Expand the victory?"

"Does the Commander-in-Chief have any designs on the 25th Division?"

Upon hearing this, Lei Gong was slightly startled and looked at Wu Wanli to ask.

Wu Wanli frowned slightly, his mind racing with intense thoughts.

The outcome of the entire campaign hinged on the control of Seoul, and he couldn't afford to lose even once.

But now is another excellent opportunity to expand the gains, because the US military will not spare a division to fight him alone.

"Ding----"

"The system has detected that the host is facing a battlefield decision. System activation is now in effect!"

"Option 1 [Defend the Han River to the Death]: Utilize the existing forces to rely on the natural barrier of the Han River and hold out until reinforcements arrive."

"Select reward: Your troops receive a 15% trench warfare bonus, and their firing accuracy within trenches is improved."

"Option Two [Lure the Enemy Deeper]: Hold out for a period of time, then retreat to Seoul and engage in urban warfare with the US forces!"

"Select reward: Your troops receive a 20% urban combat bonus, and their reaction time and alertness are improved in urban combat."

"Option Three [People's War]: Retreat directly to Seoul and distribute weapons to the civilians there, plunging the American troops into a sea of ​​people!"

"Choose the reward: 20% increase in war support, more civilians in Seoul will side with the Chinese People's Volunteer Army."

Soon, the system's cold notification sound rang out.

Upon hearing this, a hint of joy flashed in Wu Wanli's eyes.

It's important to know that the previous system rewards were basically bonuses for him personally.

Even if there are occasional groups, they are the kind where Wu Wanli personally influences the group.

Now it's finally time to give your troops a boost!

“Defending the Han River is the safest option, but the casualties would be too great, and the margin for error is very low, so let’s rule it out.”

"People's war is a good idea; it's equivalent to increasing troop strength for defense, which can increase the pressure on the US military."

"Providing guns and ammunition to civilians can lead to significant losses, which is not only inefficient in killing the enemy, but will also affect the replenishment of the main force in the future."

"More importantly, the US military is still somewhat hesitant to indiscriminately kill civilians."

"If we do it this way, it will give the US military a reason to arbitrarily bombard the ground with artillery fire. It would be bad to completely remove their constraints."

"Let's choose to lure the enemy deep into our territory. In urban warfare, reaction speed and alertness are extremely important. With the bonus, even the South Korean insurgents can play a significant role!"

After thinking for a long time, Wu Wanli finally made a decision in his heart.

"Host's selection successful, reward has been issued!"

Soon, the system's cold notification tone sounded again.

However, Wu Wanli's troops are not yet in an urban warfare environment, so they have not yet felt the changes.

"Report to the commander-in-chief!"

"The Air Force has completed a new round of search and bombing, and the results were significant, destroying more than half of the armored vehicles of the US armored battalion."

"However, we now only have 79 fighter jets left, and they are currently returning to Seoul to refuel and replenish ammunition."

At this moment, Pinghe strode in and reported.

"Tell the Air Force that they don't need to send troops over for now. The new US Air Force support is probably arriving soon, and their numbers will definitely overwhelm ours."

"Only by relying on the air defenses of Seoul Airport can we barely hold our own; if we fight head-on, we'll lose everything."

Looking at the US Air Force support on the Sky Eye map in his mind, Wu Wanli gave the order.

"Yes!"

Pinghe quickly agreed and went to relay the message.

"Wanli, if my prediction is correct, the US military will take advantage of the gap while our air force is returning to the city to launch a new round of attacks."

"We need to decide on the specifics of how we will fight in advance."

Liu Hanqing said.

"I don't want to risk my comrades' lives to defend this position."

"Before the US Air Force arrives, we can hold out for a while, and then retreat towards Seoul, drawing the US 25th Division into Seoul for urban warfare!"

"Once inside Seoul, the various units were intertwined, with each unit overlapping the others, so their air and artillery advantages were no longer obvious."

Wu Wanli thought for a moment and then said.

"Wanli, if I'm not mistaken, you're probably doing more than just trying to offset the firepower advantage of the US military, aren't you?"

Liu Hanqing looked at Wu Wanli's murderous gaze and said.

"That's right!"

"If we hold the Han River to the death, the US 25th Division can quickly retreat to Incheon to the west or Suwon to the south after our main force breaks through Goyang."

"But if I drag them into the street fighting in Seoul, I can keep them pinned down, leaving them with no choice but to fight!"

"At that time, all we need to do is have our main force circle around and we can wipe them out!"

"Let me be frank, I want to annihilate the entire US 25th Infantry Division!"

Wu Wanli clenched his fist and said with a determined look in his eyes.

"But... the 25th Division has stronger troops and firepower than us, and we also have a large number of South Korean troops who have defected, so our combat effectiveness is still a major weakness..."

“Giving up the natural barrier of the Han River would ultimately be too risky.”

Liu Hanqing hesitated for a moment, then finally advised.

"So what?"

"Six thousand against eight thousand, this is a half-cooked meal!"

"Even if it's only half-cooked, we still have to eat it!!!"

Wu Wanli looked at the markings of the US 25th Division on the map beside him, then waved his hand and said domineeringly.

(End of this chapter)